1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a bearing for use with a reciprocating floor conveyor wherein bearings are mounted on sub-deck guide beams. In particular, the present invention is directed to a bearing for a reciprocating floor conveyor which includes a hinge mechanism to assist in installation of the bearing on and around a sub-deck guide beam and which provides an improved wear surface between the bearing and the floor sliding slat.
2. Prior Art
Reciprocating floor conveyors are well known for use in various applications. For example, vehicles, factory conveyors, large bunkers, truck boxes and semi-trailers or trailers will use reciprocating floor conveyors to transport and load or unload various types of cargo, such as bulk material, pallets, bales, sacks or commodities. One known application is in open top semi-trailers. The reciprocating floor conveyor systems might also be used in cargo containers or other storage devices. The reciprocating floor conveyor can also be driven on by forklifts making a reciprocating floor conveyor very versatile.
The reciprocating floor conveyor systems typically include a plurality of parallel floor slats or floor members which extend a portion or all of the floor length of the trailer and support the load. The floor slats are normally 3 to 12 inches wide so that many slats cover the inside width of the trailer. The floor slats are moved or reciprocated either manually or with a drive unit or units. The floor slats or floor members are slidably mounted to the floor.
In one well known arrangement, a plurality of plastic slide bearings support the floor slats so that the floor slats ride on the plastic bearings. The plastic bearings, in turn, are spaced along and mounted on a plurality of parallel guide beams. The bearings surround and are supported by the sub-deck guide beams. The guide beams are then supported by the trailer's structure. In one arrangement, the guide beams are composed of tubular metal and are, in turn, fastened to a plurality of transverse support beams with the guide beams extending across an upper surface of the support beams. The slide bearings usually are installed over and placed upon the guide beams where the guide beams and the trailer's cross members intersect each other.
There are often 1,000 to 1,500 plastic slide bearings on a single trailer and the plastic bearings wear over time. Dirt or dust from the road or the cargo load itself may get between the bearing and floor slat and accelerate wear. Various solutions to this problem have been proposed in the past including Assignee's prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,933 entitled “Reciprocating Floor Conveyor”. Accordingly, the floor slats must be removed, the old slide bearings removed and disposed of, and a new set of slide bearings installed onto the guide beams and the floor slats replaced.
Each bearing may include a pair of inwardly facing flanges or clips at the end of the extending legs with the space between the clips less than the width of the tubular guide beam. Although the plastic bearings are somewhat resilient, they are not very flexible. Accordingly, it is necessary to pry open the bearing in order for it to fit over the tubular guide beams. Often a tool and considerable labor is required to install each bearing.
Several approaches to these issues have been taken in the past.
Foster (U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,686) in FIGS. 11 through 15 discloses a bearing with lock flanges 126 and 128 which extend downwardly and then upwardly. The lock flanges provide cam surfaces 134 and 136 which flare outwardly so that a downward force causes sides 96 and 98 to be sprung apart until the bearing snaps into place. In practice, considerable force, such as hammering, is required to force the side to be spread apart.
Foster (U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,303) discloses a slide bearing 26 with sidewall portions 50, 52, 54 and 56. Inwardly directed lock flanges 60, 62, 64 and 66 extends laterally inwardly from each sidewall portion. Longitudinal wings 68 and 70 project laterally outward on each side of the bearing.
Foster (U.S. Pat. No. 4,474,285) discloses floor members 94 mounted for sliding movement by means of slide bearings 96 which are required to be snap fit onto longitudinal guide beams 98.
Hallstrom (U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,963) discloses a bearing with a top wall 32, laterally resilient sidewalls 34, and downwardly and inwardly extending lugs 36. Sides must be spread apart in order to fit over a guide beam.
Foster (U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,075) discloses a bearing having sidewalls 40 and 42 that spread apart to receive a width of the guide beam 12 as seen in FIGS. 3 through 5.
Foster (U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,133) discloses bearings 18 which include opposite sidewalls 22 and 24, cams 30 and 32, and wings 34 and 36. A downward force applied to the bearing is required to cause the cams to move downwardly spreading the sidewalls apart.
Accordingly, it is a principal object and purpose of the present invention to provide a new type of slide bearing for a reciprocating floor conveyor which is easier to install and remove with less labor and in less time.
It is a further object and purpose of the present invention to provide a new type of slide bearing for a reciprocating floor conveyor which will have an improved wear surface between the bearing and the floor slat.